Released September 22
Photo Credit: Merida
Builds
2
Price Range
($3,545)–($4,432)
Wheels
29″ / 27.5″ Aluminum
Suspension
Full, 171 / 180mm
Frame Material
Aluminum
The ONE-SIXTY FR takes our test and award-winning enduro platform and cranks the volume up with more front wheel travel, coil-sprung rear shocks and build kits that prioritise durability over weight savings. Think of it as the rough and tumble brother to the regular bike – one with a penchant for sending the biggest jumps and tearing up the toughest bike park trails.
The highs and lows of this model family
Based on build material and quality level of the frame, fork, wheelset, groupset, suspension system, and more.
Wheels | 27.5″ / 29″ | 27.5″ / 29″ | 27.5″ / 29″ | 27.5″ / 29″ | 27.5″ / 29″ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 620 | 620 | 620 | 629 | 643 | |
| 409 | 437 | 464 | 492 | 519 | |
| 1.52 | 1.42 | 1.34 | 1.28 | 1.24 | |
| 537 | 564 | 591 | 623 | 655 | |
| 400 | 410 | 425 | 445 | 470 | |
| 78.0 | 78.0 | 78.0 | 78.0 | 78.0 | |
| 95 | 95 | 95 | 105 | 120 | |
| 63.5 | 63.5 | 63.5 | 63.5 | 63.5 | |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| 759 | 786 | 814 | 844 | 877 | |
| 434 | 434 | 434 | 438 | 438 | |
| 1,193 | 1,220 | 1,248 | 1,281 | 1,314 | |
| 37 | 37 | 37 | 35 | 34 | |
| 145 | 145 | 145 | 148 | 149 | |
| 735 | 740 | 743 | 740 | 735 |
🐐 Measurements listed in mm and degrees
Sep 22, 2023 · James Watkins
Merida’s new longer-travel bike takes the standard One-Sixty aluminum frame and amplifies the fun factor, with more suspension up front and a coil-sprung rear shock
DVO suspension, including coil shock
Tried and tested, bombproof aluminum frame
TRP brakes
5-year frame warranty
It’s heavy, but this won’t affect intended use
Basic drivetrain and wheels won’t last forever
Sep 22, 2023
Merida give capable, affordable alloy enduro bike extra-travel One-Sixty FR freeride upgrade with new DVO suspension for bikepark riding…
Sep 22, 2023 · Mick Kirkman
The Merida One-Sixty FR was launched at September’s EX Enduro in Devon, so our first ride testing and evaluation was carried out on terrain in and around the event with an uplift day in the local area beforehand. It’s familiar testing ground for us and terrain where we’ve previously evaluated the best enduro mountain bikes. With a coil rear shock and a 180mm travel fork, this new Merida is designed to handle new school machine-built jump and berm trails that have increasingly popped up over recent years. It’s targeted at progressive riders taking their riding to the next level as much as younger rippers on a budget looking for a tough durable bike for enduro, DH or uplift laps. Keeping an eye on a lower price point means, unlike the regular Merida One-Sixty trail bike, there is no carbon fibre option. The One-Sixty FR is only available with an aluminium frame, across two different models, topping out at £3.5k on this DVO suspension-clad 600 version. Frame Merida’s basic concept was to bring a tougher, more affordable bike that can be hammered in bike parks or push-to-the-top jumpy DH spots – or even become part of rental fleets in uplift destinations. Its frame shares the updated shape and geometry of the current Merida One-Forty and One-Sixty platforms. The FR carries over Merida’s ‘Agilometer’ geometry philosophy, which (like plenty of other sensible brands) allows riders to choose size based on frame length/reach, rather than seat tube height. Smaller riders can opt for a longer frame to taste and not get penalised by the saddle or top tube getting in the way. Taller riders can benefit too and can run one of the latest-generation dropper posts like Merida’s Team TR 2 here that is infinitely adjustable up to 230mm to achieve the desired saddle height. One thing that’s slightly at odds with Merida’s sizing philosophy though and may affect a small number of riders is the size-specific tuning on the Fast Link, because while it’s easy enough to reduce spring rate for lighter/shorter riders on longer bikes, there will always be slightly more progression in the suspension than on the smaller frame sizes. Merida’s five frame sizes see reach measurement extend all the way from 409mm in XShort up to 519mm in XLong. The chainstay is semi size-specific too, with 434mm in the smaller three sizes growing to 437.5mm in the longest two. There’s a typical-for-this-category 63.5mm head angle and a bottom bracket drop of just 2mm, although this didn’t feel high while riding to me. Smaller details include a removable 4/6mm Allen key in the rear axle and a removable ‘service port’ on the bottom of the BB that makes internal dropper routing much less painful. One-Sixty FR frames use an easy to service BSA threaded bottom bracket and neat features include chunky frame protection and a rear mud guard. The best full-suspension mountain bikes: reviewed by experts Seeing as the FR is primarily gravity focused, it’s no bad thing the alloy …Continue reading »
Suitably robust build kit. Well matched DVO suspension. Modern sizing system. Keenly priced. Bike park ready straight from the box
Internal headset cable routing. Noisy in rough terrain. Heavy
Sep 22, 2023 · Seb Stott
The FR is aimed at park rats and rental fleets, with mixed wheels, more travel and burlier components.
Our ONE-SIXTY FR is built to suck up the punishment that comes with progression, with a tough aluminium frame, mixed ‘mullet’ wheels on all sizes and kit that places the priority on giving you the tools to get the job done without giving up. Solid, sorted suspension paired with predictable but poppy handling, all tied together with a frame that has a five-year Category 5 warranty that even covers the most extreme bike park use - something few of our competitors have the confidence to offer. The ONE-SIXTY FR is built to send.
Based on our test and award-winning aluminium frame, so can shrug off the knocks, it features P-FLEX suspension technology to keep things simple, low maintenance and stiff. The FAST kinematic also provides plush and controlled 171 mm of suspension that works as a perfect pairing with a coil rear shock.
That means excellent small bump grip, refined mid-stroke support for pumping through turns and jumps, plus a highly progressive ending stroke that resists bottom-out forces. Paired with a longer travel 180 mm fork, the ONE-SIXTY FR offers huge reserves when the track gets rough while maintaining impressive manoeuvrability thanks to the mixed-size wheels.
The bikes use our AGILOMETER sizing system that enables the rider to choose their frame size depending on preferred riding characteristics rather than simply body height. You can choose whether you’d prefer a longer frame for extra stability on the roughest tracks or a shorter frame for a more playful feel in the air.
As it was our focus to keep the price low and the performance high so that riders can be confident when they're either in the air or halfway down a super steep descent, we invested heavily into suspension components and brakes - rather than into shiny drivetrains – as these are what makes a real difference on the trail.
